Observations about China

I am now in southwestern China. Sitting in the West Lilly hotel listening to the bustle of the crowded street outside with its bicycles, scooters, screeching mini buses, three wheeled trucks, oxen drawn carts, motorcycles, mini motor bikes, a 40's vehicle with a bed and an engine precariously perched on the front of the vehichle exposing the antique tractor engine that it uses. It truly is a cornocopia of transportation that leaves wondering if there is any other place in the world with such a wide array of transportation.
So here I am in the back packers paradise of Yangshou. It sits in the middle of Karbst mountains that literally look like God took balls of clay and threw them on the ground to make giant balls and some he dripped from the heavens like a child would drip wet sand on the beach to create jagged peaks. And these mountains raise from the flat ground in all directions and line up and down the Li River which snakes through the southern part of the town. Yesterday we spent $1 to take a man powered flat boat up and down the river for about 20 minutes and today we got up at 5:45 am to take a bus and a mini truck/motorcycle hybrid to a town 1 hr north to take a bigger motor powered flat boat up and down the river to view the otherworldy mountain peaks. It was mythical, it was exotic and it was beyond words.
This place is truly one of the most beautiful and exotic places I've ever been.

Some observations about China:
1. It seems that there is not a man in China who doesnt smoke. Young and old alike. I have yet to see a woman smoke.
2. Even out in the countryside the air is dirty. The smell in the cities is a mix between pollution, trash, excrement at times, and the spices of food.
Last night we walked through a market and the spices were so bad we could hardly breath and at one time we had to close our eyes because it stung.
3. Things you can eat on a stick, silk worms, other bugs, whole fish, baby chickens, snake, scorpions, chicken hearts, squid and lets not forget that dog may not come on a stick but it is on the menu.
4. Everyone here sits by squatting. Butt almost touching the ground and the feet are flat footed. I cant do it, I can only squat on the balls of my feet.
5. The kids here dont wear diapers and instead are allowed to go where ever they so desire through the method of split pants. And we have seen them go wherever they want.
6. Wherever we go I see people just lounging around as if they have nothing to do.
I have seen people working but it seems most people arent up to much.
7. The room that we are staying in here has two single beds, AC, a TV, bathroom and shower and only costs $4 per person per night. Suffice to say things here are cheap.
8. Generally people are good natured and helpful. Although everywhere we go peddlers are trying to get us to buy things. At the Great Wall we had our own personal peddlers for half the day follow us...not heckling the whole way but simply following. I have yet to see anyone kiss in public...not even mom's or dads kissing their kids. I have seen a couple of people holding hands. I have yet to see a pregnant lady.
9. Everyone dresses with slacks and short sleeved button down shirts. And the ladies with pants, a blouse and heels. Unless your a Chinese tourist and then you see them in shorts.
10. Everyone uses umbrellas all the time. Especially in the sun. Ladies often have them becuase in Chinese culture the whiter you are the prettier you are.
11. Bicycles. Half the worlds bicycles are in China and I think that number is higher!
12. I do get looked at a lot. So I just look right back. Its amazing that a whole culture can have the same traits, the same color eyes, hair, body shapes, heights, little hair and yet at the same time they dont all look the same.
13. I had a Chinese girl tell me that if I lived in China I would have a line of potential suitors. Too bad its not like that in Baltimore! And too bad only 100 million share my faith. That is out of 1.3 billion.
14. Chinese history is completely different from 1949 to the present. The Korean war was fought in the defense of Korea against the American aggressors, etc. and etc.

Well, I need to go but I will update again soon.
In case your wondering, I am unable to check my blog for comments or questions, courtesy of the government and its blocking of my site.